Piston-packing.



J. L. DOWNIE. PISTON PACKING.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 9, 1908.

Patentd Dec. 8, 1908.

2 SEBBTS-SHBET 1.

mvawcoz arm nu UNITED STATES PATENT orricn .IAMES L. DOWNIE, OF DOWNIEVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO'KEYSTONE DRILLER 00., OF BEAVER FALLS, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

PISTON-PACKING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 9, 1908.

Patented Dec. s, 1908.

Serial No. 426,171.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES L. DOWNIE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Downieville, in the county of Butler and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Piston-Packing, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to piston packing, particularly intended for deep well pumps, though undoubtedly useful in other analogous relations.

Asis well known to those skilled in this art, it is the ordinary practice to employ leather or other flexible cups for packing purposes, but these have objectionable features, inasmuch as they bear with great force against the walls of the pump barrel, and soon wear out. Furthermore when the liquid elevated contains sand or grit, the same will pack in the cups and hold them so tightly against the walls of the pump barrel that a downward movement of the piston is sometimes prevented and the piston rod will buckle as a result. It will be evident that this can readily occur, when it is considered that these rods are often several hundred feet in length, and it will also be evident that the oft-repeated removal of the piston for the purpose of cleaning or replacing the old cups by new ones is laborious and. objectionable.

One of the primary objects of the present invention is to provide a novel arrangement of the packing which is thoroughly effective, is active only during the upward movement of the piston, and does not have the objectionable features of the cups as above pointed out.

Another and very important object is to provide a series of successive packing devices so related that one will not become operative until there is a leakage past the one above it, and thus the devices are successively brought into operation, insuring long life to the packing and eliminating the necessity of renewals at short intervals, the structure moreover being such that the piston is liquid packed.

The preferred form of construction is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein: I

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through a portion of a pump barrel showing a pistontherein in elevation. Fig. 2 is a view in elevation of the piston with the valve and packing rings removed. Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through said piston. Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view on the line 44 of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view on the line 55 of Fig. 2.

Similar reference numerals designate corresponding parts inall the figures of the drawings. I

In the embodiment illustrated, the pum barrel is designated by the reference numera 6, and may be of any well known construction. In the same operate one or more pistons. One ofthese pistons is illustrated, and the same comprises a tubular body 7 having a conical upper end. 8 terminating in a nipple 9 to which the piston rod 10 is secured. Said conical upper end is provided with a plurality of liquid passages 11, the sections be tween said passages being connected by convergently disposed ribs 12. A conical valve 13 operates on the conicaltop 8, and comprises a collar 14 slidably operating on the nipple 9 and having divergently disposed ribs 15 carrying closures 16 for the assages 11.

The tubular body 7 is provide on its exterior with spaced sets of spaced annular flanges 17 and 18, the flanges of each set formin between them a seat 19, and the spaces etween the sets constituting liquid chambers 20. A corres onding liquid chamber 21 is also formed a ove the uppermost set of flanges, the lower end of the conical top constituting the upper wall of said chamber. Snugly fitted in the seats 19, is a series of ex pansible rin s 22 formed of rubber, fiber or other suitabde material. The outer face of the tubular body 7 is furthermore provided between the flanges 17.18 of each set with annular grooves 23, the outer sides of which are open and communicating'with the seats, said grooves being "of less width than the seats and arranged centrally between the flanges. Each groove is furthermore in communication with the liquid chamber above the set of flanges in which it is placed, through the medium of ports 24 formed in the upper flanges 17.

With this construction when the piston is on its upward stroke, the valve 14-16 will be closed and the liquid passing the lower edge of the conical top 8 of the body will enter the uppermost chamber 21 and fill the same, thence flowing through the ports 24 into the uppermost channel 23. The force of said liquid will cause the packing ring to expand snugly into engagement with the walls of the pump barrel. On the downward stroke, however, this pressure is relieved, so that there will be comparatively little friction due to the packing ring. If the first packing ring prevents the liquid passing it on the up-stroke, the rings below the same will be inactive, inasmuch as there is no pressure against their inner sides to expand them, but if leakage takes place, then the liquid will flow into the second chamber 20, and entering the ports that communicate with said chamber, will cause the expansion of the second ring. In like manner, if there is leakage at the second ring, the third ring will be brought into action. with this structure therefore, the great friction that is occasioned by cups is entirely eliminated, for the pressure against the rings 22 can be regulated by varying the size of the ports 24. Moreover in this structure, the rings being solid, there are no free edges to double or turn over as with the cups. A further and very important advantage resides in the fact that the rings are brought into action successively and as long as the upper ring or rings are sufficient to prevent leakage, the lower ones are not being worn. The result is that the packing has a long life and experience has demonstrated that it will successfully operate much longer than the cup packings. Nor is there the liability of sand or dirt getting behind the rings as with the cups which are entirely open to receive the same. There is another and important advantage for this structure. The liquid chamber formed between each set of flanges not only governs the operation or p the packing rings, but the liquid therein constitutes additional packing for the piston.

From the foregoing, it is thought that the construction, operation and many advantages of the herein described invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art, without further description, and it will be under.- stood that various changes in the size, shape, proportion and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

Having thus fully described my invention,

what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. A reciprocatory piston comprising a tubular body having spaced outstanding flanges forming a seat between them, the wall of the body between the flanges being provided with an open sided channel of less width than said seat, ports leading through the upper flange to the channel, and an ex pansible packing ring located in the seat outside the channel.

2. A reciprocatory piston comprising a tubular body having upper and lower spaced sets of spaced outstanding flanges, the spaces between the flanges of each set form ing a seat and the space between the sets forming a liquid chamber, expansible packing rings located in the seats, ports connecting the liquid chamber and the lower seat in rear of the packing ring therein, and other ports communicating with the upper set in rear of the packing ring.

3. A reciprocatory piston comprising a tubular body having upper and lower spaced sets of spaced outstanding flanges, the space between the flanges of each set forming a seat and the space between the sets forming a liquid chamber, expansible packing rings located in the seats, and liquid admitting ports extending through the upper flange of each set, the ports of the flange of the lower set communicating with the liquid chamber, those of the upper set admitting liquid under pressure from above the piston.

a. A reciprocatory piston comprising a tubular body having a conical upper end pro vided with liquid passages, a conical valve operating on said end and controlling the passages, sets of outstanding annular flanges located on the body, one below the other, each set having a liquid chamber above it, an eXpansible packing ring located between the flanges of each set, and ports formed in the upper flanges of each set and communicating with the water chamber above the same and with the space between the flanges in rear of the packing ring.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JAMES L. DOWNIE.

Witnesses F. WV. RANSOM, JAS. M. STERRETT. 

